Pakistan Unveiled
Pakistan is a country of contradictions - full of promise for growth, modernity and progress, yet shrouded by political, social and cultural issues that undermine its quest for identity and integrity. My bimonthly column "Pakistan Unveiled" presents stories that showcase the Pakistani struggle for freedom of expression, an end to censorship, and a more open and balanced society.
Bina Shah is a Karachi-based journalist and fiction writer and has taught writing at the university level. She is the author of four novels and two collections of short stories. She is a columnist for two major English-language newspapers in Pakistan, The Dawn and The Express Tribune, and she has contributed to international newspapers including The Independent, The Guardian, and The International Herald Tribune. She is an alumnus of the International Writers Workshop (IWP 2011).
  • Pakistan Bombing March 3, 2013
    The Shia Genocide
    by Bina Shah / April 2, 2013

    Bina Shah discusses the plight of the Shia Muslims, a group in Pakistan being targeted by militants who believe they need to be destroyed or driven out.

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  • CAPTION
    Islamophobia, Inc.
    by Bina Shah / March 19, 2013

    Bina Shah discusses the “Islamophobia” trend, in which media and other groups portray Islam-American relations in a negative light for money-making purposes.

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  • CAPTION
    Music for the Muslim Soul
    by Bina Shah / February 19, 2013

    A music ban encouraged by Muslim fundamentalists in Pakistan and Afghanistan leaves no room for free artistic expression. Despite this setback, both nations push for new musical programs.

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  • Pakistani children face hardship as a result of tense relations between the United States and Pakistan. Photo: Wikimedia Commons.
    Pakistan, The Villain
    by Bina Shah / February 5, 2013

    Bina Shah discusses how the media’s inaccurate portrayal of Pakistan as a villainous country makes it easier for the drone attacks to continue.

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  • Pakistani artists play at a Sindhi musical event.
    Theater of the Repressed
    by Bina Shah / January 22, 2013

    Prompted by actor Faran Tahir’s lecture on theater and dictatorships, Bina Shah argues that only the arts can free Pakistan from terrorism and intolerance.

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Fearless, Ink.